Child held near cliff edge at Seven Sisters prompts warning

The National Trust has warned people to "act sensibly" after pictures emerged of a man holding a child inches from an unstable cliff edge.

The pair were pictured on Monday at Seven Sisters near Eastbourne, East Sussex.

In 2017, 50,000 tonnes of the cliff crumbled and fell to the beach below.

The following day a 23-year-old South Korean tourist fell to her death when she jumped in the air for a picture and lost her footing on the edge.

Others were also seen near the edge and the Trust spokeswoman said: "It isn't safe to stand or sit on the cliff edge.

"The cliffs are unstable in places and there are undercuts in the chalk, which people may be unaware of from the top.

"We advise visitors to act sensibly."

There are permanent signs in place warning people of the danger.

MP for Lewes Maria Caulfield said the warm weather made an "ideal time to visit the coast". However, she said it was "disappointing and concerning" to see people on the edge or "dangling children on the edge".

"We know how dangerous those cliff edges are. We know people have been injured, and we've had tragic loss of life in the past."

Ms Caulfield said she will speak to local councils on how to tackle the safety issues in future.

Previously, some have criticised the signage for not standing out, and there have been calls for signs in foreign languages as tourism from the Far East increases.

Ms Caulfield said: "It's a difficult balance... if you put too much fencing or signage you destroy the beauty of the place.

"But it's clear, despite the efforts of the local councils, the signs that are there are not enough to deter people from going close to the cliff edge."